Image Source: YouTube
In as cinematic a tale as the film itself, Raj Kapoor's dream movie 'Mera Naam Joker'—a circus musical about philosophy—took six years to make but stunned the industry upon release in 1970 by being a box office failure.
Production Saga
-
Directed, produced, and edited by RK Films' Raj Kapoor, the movie was a passion project, with Kapoor going so far as to mortgage his house in order to fund it.
-
The cast included Kapoor himself, along with Manoj Kumar, Dharmendra, Simi Garewal, Padmini, and Rishi Kapoor, who portrayed the little version of the hero.
Narrative and Reception
-
The movie traced Raju, a clown whose smiles concealed sorrow, through a journey of love, loss, and existential sorrow.
-
In spite of its musical excellence and emotional richness—underscored by chartbusters such as 'Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan'—audiences avoided its fivehour long duration and gloomy ambiance, anticipating light entertainment.
Aftermath and Redemption
-
The flop made Kapoor economically bankrupt, and distributors lost faith in his brand. Even his next film 'Bobby' was questioned until its songs were shown.
-
Kapoor's perseverance yielded returns when 'Bobby' proved to be a blockbuster, reviving his finances and image.
-
Heritage
-
Though a box office disaster, 'Mera Naam Joker' received 11 awards and is a cult classic today.
-
Rishi Kapoor was awarded the National Film Award for Best Child Actor, and Manna Dey was awarded the Silver Lotus for Best Playback Singer.
Sources: India TV, News18, BollywoodLife, Times of India, Indian Express
Advertisement
Advertisement